Today’s group B match between Qatar and Switzerland at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, ended in a 1-1 draw.

Switzerland scored the first goal in the 23 minutes of the first half, while Qatar equalised in the second half.

Qatar’s Boualem Khoukhi stunned Switzerland with a late equaliser as the sides played out a 1-1 draw in their opening match at the World Cup on Saturday.

A Breel Embolo penalty had broken the deadlock for Switzerland early in the first half in the San Francisco Bay Area, before the wasteful favourites were made to pay as Qatar earned their first ever point at a World Cup.

Qatar, appearing in just their second finals after hosting the 2022 World Cup, looked rusty after the war in the Middle East caused the cancellation of two of their warm-up friendlies, meaning their meeting with Switzerland was just their third match since December last year.

And for the majority of the match they were outclassed as Switzerland racked up 26 shots, before 35-year-old Khoukhi’s header four minutes into injury time sparked wild celebrations on the Qatar bench.

For their boss Julen Lopetegui, it was also a landmark moment as he coached his first World Cup match.

Co-hosts Canada grabbed a second-half equaliser to draw 1-1 with Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday in the first World Cup finals game ever played on Canadian soil.

Cyle Larin got Canada’s goal after Jovo Lukic put Bosnia ahead with a header on 21 minutes in Toronto.

The Opening Match had been heralded by pre-match cameos from Michael Buble and Alanis Morisette, yet it was the star quality of the Canadian substitutes that had the Toronto Stadium in raptures by the end of this very watchable Group B contest.

Sergej Barbarez had promised a motivational speech before the game and his Bosnian players responded well. Amar Memic sent an early chance over, and with the Dragons establishing superiority at set pieces, Sead Kolasinac’s flick from a corner enabled Jovo Lukic to head home.

Undeterred, Canada played with energy and endeavour. Yet when the ball ricocheted favourably for Jonathan David, the striker’s low shot made for a comfortable Nikola Vasilj save.

Tani Oluwaseyi had an even more inviting opportunity but blazed over despite time and space in the box.

Oluwaseyi lit up the start of the second half with a Cruyff turn and nearly scored with a header blocked by Nikola Katic.

The Canucks were in full flow when Stephen Eustaguio, deputising as captain for the unused Alphonso Davies, played in Richie Laryea but somehow Kolasinac cleared the goal-bound shot off the line.

At the other end, Maxime Crepeau saved at the feet of Ermedin Demirovic.

Jesse Marsch’s team were staying positive, boosted by a number of substitutions.

It was the 76th-minute introduction of Larin that brought the equaliser and, ultimately, Canada’s first-ever World Cup point.

The striker had only been on the pitch two minutes when he turned sharply to fire in from Promise David’s assist. And he nearly won it in added time but was denied by Tarik Muharemovic.

Image credit : FIFA

FIFA World Cup 2026 opening match ended in favour of the defending champion, Mexico having scored 2 against South Africa nil.

Julian Quinones scored the opening goal of the tournament and veteran striker Raul Jimenez added a second as the co-hosts’ bid for qualification from Group A got off to smooth start.

South Africa meanwhile never looked like spoiling the opening day fiesta, and finished with only nine men after Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off.

The Mexican-colored red, green and white smoke from pre-game fireworks had barely dissipated before Quinones fired the hosts into the lead on nine minutes, drilling a low shot through the legs of South Africa’s goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams.

A deafening roar cascaded down from the stands of the Azteca, the footballing cathedral that became the only stadium to host games at three different World Cups.

South Africa coach Hugo Broos had warned his players to be ready for the intimidating atmosphere created by a capacity 80,824 crowd at the imposing concrete arena.